Elevated levels of blood cholesterol and blood lipids are conditions which are believed related to the onset of arteriosclerosis. Thus, compounds capable of reducing the levels of these blood constituents are recognized as potentially useful anti-arteriosclerotic agents. The prior art contains many materials which are characterized as potentially useful anti-arteriosclerotic agents. These agents and intermediates thereto, which applicant believes are most closely structurally related to the compounds of the present invention are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,271 discloses a class of arylene bis alpha-alkyloxyacetic acids and certain derivatives; U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,436 discloses a class of arylenebisoxyaceticacids and certain derivatives.
The compounds of the present invention are certain arylene 2,2-dimethylalkonoic acids and derivatives thereof. The compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R.sub.3 are as hereinbelow defined are the preferred compounds of the invention.
The compounds of the present invention are useful as hypocholesterolemic agents and possess the additional advantage of elevating the high density lipoprotein fraction of cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), which is known to lower the risk factor of coronary heart disease (Gordon, T. et al., High Density Lipoprotein as a Protective Factor Against Coronary Heart Disease, May 1977, The American Journal of Medicine, Vol. 62, pp. 707-714). Certain compounds of the invention also reduce the low density lipoprotein fraction of cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), thus further reducing the risk factor of coronary heart disease.